Cheap ski properties in Austria

Cheaper than France and Switzerland, the Austrian Alps are also relaxing some of the restrictions on foreign buyers. The hills really are alive

Thought you had to go to Bulgaria or some obscure resort to afford a flat or chalet in the moun-tains? Think again. Prices in some of Austria's better-known ski destinations are considerably cheaper than in their French or Swiss equivalents, and there are signs that the country is finally loosening some of the rules that have hitherto made it difficult for foreigners to buy.

Cameron Brown, 34, a barrister from Sevenoaks, Kent, is among those who've been lured to the country by the low prices. In October 2007, he and his wife, Clare, bought a two-bedroom new-build chalet in the pretty village of Stadl, 90 minutes' drive from Salzburg, for only £140,000 - not bad for somewhere that sleeps eight.

"I always wanted a ski property, and in terms of value for money, Austria is much better than France and Switzer-land," Brown says. "For the same price, we could get only